The city has begun the process to appraise the value of the Fernald site as councilors continue to review requests on how to pay for purchasing the 200-acre site off Trapelo Road.

By Ryan Grannan-Dollwaltham@wickedlocal.com

The city has begun the process to appraise the value of the Fernald site as councilors continue to review requests on how to pay for purchasing the 200-acre site off Trapelo Road.

The city is in the process of purchasing the 200-acre Fernald site from the state. While no plan has been finalized, a $3.7 million price has been floated in which the city would retain control of most of the site, including several defunct buildings. The state would continue to run the Marquardt Nursing Center separately. The state would also retain control of several buildings in which former residents worked and lived.

The last resident left the Fernald site in November. The state wanted to shut down the site by 2007, but residents fought a years-long legal battle to stay. It had served people with developmental disabilities.

Mayor Jeannette McCarthy had previously proposed using Community Preservation Act funding to pay for half of the purchase and general funds for the other half. Using CPA funds would place restrictions on possible future uses of the site.

However, on Monday night, McCarthy formally proposed using $2.69 million in CPA funding to pay for approximately 140 acres of the site, and about $795,000 for the remaining 40 acres.

The City Council has not yet voted on the proposal. McCarthy said she hopes to have a final vote on the funding request by Dec. 8.

In addition, appraiser Edward Bowler, of Bowler Real Estate Appraisal and a former Waltham resident, told the council he has begun the process to appraise the site’s value. Under current zoning rules, the site could be used for various things like a new school, open space and recreation. However, he said, additional uses should be explored in the appraisal.

Bowler said he expects to finish the appraisal within one month.

Criticism

Councilor-at-large Tom Stanley, who plans to challenge the mayor in the 2015 election, criticized McCarthy for not hiring a private consultant to calculate any possible environmental cleanup that could be necessary and instead calculating those costs herself.

Stanley also said he was upset that the process to buy the site has not been more comprehensive. Specifically, Stanley said he wants the community to decide how the land will be used before voting on any funding requests. He also wants to explore other possible uses.

“The community should make that decision first and then we should decide accordingly [on funding sources],” Stanley said.

McCarthy responded, saying Ward 4 Councilor John McLaughlin is on a committee studying possible uses and was awaiting the group’s recommendations. McCarthy also deflected criticism, saying the state was controlling the sale process.

Ward 9 Councilor Robert Logan criticized McCarthy’s plan to use a high proportion of CPA money when the city has not decided on how to use the site.

“I think we need to give ourselves a little more flexibility,” Logan said.

McCarthy said the division of land and the CPA funding request is in line with the contour of the land.

A new wrinkle in the purchase process also emerged Monday night. McCarthy said the state wants to close the deal before the end of the year in order to avoid any problems Gov.-elect Charlie Baker may cause by possibly appointing a new Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance commissioner.